The Crystal Brain

The Crystal Brain is an artwork which represents the nature of our neural networks in an exploration into how ideas, thoughts and feelings manifest inside our brain.

It uses EEG (electroencephalography) technology to scan the brain’s electrical activity on the scalp to control a series of audio visual instruments, originally designed by CHDH.

These instruments are algorithmic synthesisers, which use models of natural mechanisms such as swarms & chaos. These ephemeral fluid structures are revealed on floating, hand crafted, powder glass screens created by Griet which act as a fragmented windows into the processes which underlie our existence.

We’re asking audiences to come and experience an installation, which we feel is a truthful portrait of the human brain. Through focus levels the participant can control the colour and visual time delay of the piece, yet the flow and movement is controlled by the brain’s activity with which we have no control.

This creates an experience which is at times, both beautiful and ominous, calculated and chaotic capturing moments of lucidity and fleeting thoughts, yet revealing that the grey matter in our heads is far from a utopian, peaceful state of flowing thoughts, it’s a space as beautiful and complex as the world we live in.

The Frozen Music Collective & Taylors of Harrogate created a live AV performance to explore the music our brain makes when we drink coffee. We used EEG technology to create a live visual score created directly from the drinkers brainwaves which was played live by musicians.